aussiesmg
aussiesmg PowerDork
6/26/12 7:01 a.m.

Yep I need to make Lexan windows for the Challenge Stang, anybody within reasonable range have access to a oven that can fit the windshield/rear window?

Rear window has a surprising amount of curve in it.

Photobucket

Thanks in advance

JoeyM
JoeyM GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
6/26/12 7:19 a.m.

Does anybody near you have a household oven in their garage that you could put at one end of a temporary firebrick enclosure?

alfadriver
alfadriver PowerDork
6/26/12 7:35 a.m.

I wonder how long it will take Kieth to post- he put unheated lexan into the hardtop window in his Miata. Seemed to have no issues.

I wish I followed his suggestion when trying to put one in my GTV- I ruined a nice piece of Lexan.

A suggestion if you can't find an oven.

slantvaliant
slantvaliant Dork
6/26/12 7:36 a.m.

What temperature is appropriate?

At work, when we need to temporarily enlarge the ovens, we use sheets of foil-faced rigid foam insulation. Much cheaper and easier than firebrick, but with obviously lower temperature capacity.

Don49
Don49 Reader
6/26/12 7:36 a.m.

Take out the glass windows and paint them black Lay the Lexan over them and let sit in the sun with the Lexan on top. With very little coaxing the Lexan will conform to the shape of the glass.

emodspitfire
emodspitfire Reader
6/26/12 7:39 a.m.

The rear window in that car appears to have a "single curved" surface. If that is correct, you will not need to heat the lexan. Just use the current glass as a pattern, then bolt/rivet the lexan window to the steel frame. If the rules allow, you may want to add some 2 or 3 inch diameter pressure relief holes near the bottom edge.

Rog

81cpcamaro
81cpcamaro Reader
6/26/12 7:54 a.m.

Lexan will easily bend to that curve without heating. I did this on my Camaros front windshield with 1/8" lexan with no problems and it curves as much as your Mustang. I started in the center with the mounting screws and worked outward. 3/16" or thicker Lexan will be a bit harder to bend, but the 1/8" was easy. If you don't have the pressure relief holes like Rog said, then straps on the outside of the rear window would be a good idea to keep it in place. Also, a support bar at least in the center of the front window would be needed with 1/8" lexan, maybe not with 3/16".

44Dwarf
44Dwarf SuperDork
6/26/12 8:19 a.m.

Pizza shop.... Plastics shop at my tech high school had the run of the mill Blodgett pizza oven. But that was 20+ years ago.

oldtin
oldtin SuperDork
6/26/12 8:20 a.m.

build a box big enough for the window - camp stove with sheet of metal over it on the bottom - insulate and you have a temp oven... forming oven

this one is for making bubble canopies:

tr8todd
tr8todd Reader
6/26/12 8:31 a.m.

I've had good luck slowly heating them with my big plumbers torch with the lexan layed across a stock windshield. Heat very slowly with the flame held held at a distance. Use spring clamps to hold in place. That paint the glass black trick sounds like a good one to help it along.

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